Language

English was the only official language in Belize, but other languages
were commonplace. The 1980 census revealed that slightly more than
one-half the population spoke English as their first language, and
approximately one-third spoke Spanish. In the Corozal and Orange Walk
districts, Spanish was the first language of 75 percent of the
population, and fewer than 20 percent spoke English by preference.
Smaller numbers spoke Mayan dialects, Garifuna, and Low German. The
census also estimated that some 62 percent of all Belizeans were
bilingual or trilingual. As many as 80 percent of the population were
able to speak some English.

The census, however, failed to differentiate between standard English
and the local vernacular, Belizean Creole. Some of the people considered
to be English speakers could speak only Belizean Creole or "Broad
Creole," while others spoke standard English as well. Language
competency was largely related to social stratification. English
speakers of higher socioeconomic status and education could switch with
relative ease between standard English and Belizean Creole. The
English-speaking urban and rural poor possessed more limited degrees of
competency in standard English.

Linguistic diversity among the English-speaking population reflected
and perpetuated social inequality. In Belizean schools, for example,
standard English was the sole language of instruction. Studies have
shown that students who came to school lacking proficiency in standard
English suffered significant problems in comprehension and were often
classified by teachers as slow, or problem learners.